Method of non-overlapping additive color printing
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsEdward N. Chapman, Edward M. Housel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multicolor printing method employing a color printer capable of printing non-overlapping red, green, blue and black colorants, includes the steps of: providing a digital color image having n-bit/color pixels; dividing the digital image into a plurality of pixel blocks; identifying pure red, green, blue, black and white pixels in each block and assigning such pixels to be printed with the corresponding colorant or white (no colorant); calculating percent red, green, blue, black and white for remaining pixels in each block; using the calculated percentages, assigning remaining pixels in each block to be printed with pure colorant or white according to a predetermined filling procedure; and printing the image using the assigned colorants.
Claims15
A multicolor printing method employing a color printer capable of printing non-overlapping primary colorants and a black colorant, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a digital color image having n-bit/color pixels;
- b) dividing the digital image into a plurality of pixel blocks;
- c) identifying pure primary colorant pixels and black and white pixels in each block and assigning such pixels to be printed with the corresponding colorant or white (no colorant);
- d) calculating a percent primary colorant, and black and white for remaining pixels in each block;
- e) using the calculated percentages, assigning the remaining pixels in each block to be printed with pure primary colorant or black or white according to a predetermined filling procedure;
- and
- f) printing the image using the assigned colorants.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a) a computer readable storage medium, such as a memory device, compact disc or a floppy disc, and
- b) a computer program stored on the disc for receiving a digital color image having n-bit color pixels and causing a computer connected to a color printer capable of non-overlapping color printing using non-overlapping primary colorants and a black colorant to print a color image using assigned colorants by performing the steps of:
- a) dividing the digital image into a plurality of pixel blocks;
- b) identifying pure primary colorant pixels and black and white pixels in each block and assigning such pixels to be printed with the corresponding colorant or white (no colorant);
- c) calculating a percent primary colorant and black and white for remaining pixels in each block;
- and
- d) using the calculated percentages, assigning the remaining pixels in each block to be printed with pure primary colorant or black or white according to a predetermined filling procedure.
A color printer capable of printing non-overlapping primary colorants and a black colorant based on a digital color image having n-bit/color pixels, said printer comprising:
- a) means for dividing the digital image into a plurality of pixel blocks;
- b) means for identifying pure primary colorant pixels and black and white pixels in each block and assigning such pixels to be printed with the corresponding colorant or white (no colorant);
- c) means for calculating a percent primary colorant and black and white for remaining pixels in each block;
- d) means responsive to the calculated percentages for assigning the remaining pixels in each block to be printed with pure primary colorant or black or white according to a predetermined filling procedure;
- and
- e) means for printing the image using the assigned colorants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.